"Virginia d'Albert-Lake was one of thousands who risked their lives saving downed airmen along the Comet escape line which stretched from Belgium to Gibraltar. What distinguished Virginia from other resisters was that she was an American citizen who had the option to return to the safety of her native country. Yet she chose to remain in France, where her dangerous work with the Comet line nearly cost her her life."

"This book tells the remarkable story of an ordinary American woman's heroism in the French Resistance. Born in Ohio and raised in Florida, Virginia Roush fell in love with Philippe d'Albert-Lake during a visit to France in 1936; they married soon after. In 1943, they joined the Resistance. Defying gender stereotypes, Virginia put her life in jeopardy as she sheltered downed airmen. Her refusal to reveal secrets while a prisoner of war saved many lives, and when Free French and Allied forces finally liberated her in 1945, she weighed 76 pounds, 50 pounds under her normal weight."

"After the war, Virginia stayed in France with Philippe, receiving awards from the governments of France, Belgium, Great Britain, and the United States, including the Croix de Guerre, Legion d'Honneur, and Medal of Honor. She died at the age of 87 in 1997." "Judy Barrett Litoff brings together two rare documents in this unique book - Virginia's diary of wartime France until her capture in 1944 and her prison memoir, written immediately after the war."--Jacket.

Outbreak of war to the fall of France, October 11, 1939 --
June 23, 1940 --
Life after the fall of France, June 24, 1940 --
August 29, 1940 --Life after the fall of France, September 1940 --
April 1944 --
Working for Comet escape line and arrest, Fall 1943 --
June 14, 1944 --
Imprisonment at Fresnes and Romainville, June 15, 1944 --
August 15, 1944 --
Deportation to Ravensbrück, August 15, 1944 --
August 22, 1944 --
Internment at Ravensbrück and Torgau, August 22, 1944 --
October 16, 1944 --
Internment at Könisgberg, October 16, 1944 --
February 2, 1945 --
Return to Ravensbrück, February 2, 1945 --
February 28, 1945 --
Libenau, February 28, 1945 --
late May 1945.

Anotace:

Virginia Roush fell in love with Philippe d'Albert-Lake during a visit to France in 1936; they married soon after. In 1943, they both joined the Resistance, where Virginia put her life in jeopardy as she sheltered downed airmen and later survived a Nazi prison camp. This book tells the story of a American woman's heroism in the French Resistance.Přečíst více...

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"An indelible portrait of extraordinary strength of character... [D'Albert-Lake] is sombre, reflective, and attentive to every detail." - The New Yorker "A sharply etched and moving story of love, companionship, commitment, and sacrifice.... This beautifully edited diary and memoir throw an original light on the French Resistance." - Robert Gildea, author of Marianne in Chains: In Search of the German Occupation, 1940-1945 "At once a stunning self-portrait and dramatic narrative of a valorous young American woman... an exciting and gripping story, one of the best of the many wartime tales." - Walter Cronkite "An enthralling tale which brims with brave airmen and plucky heroines." - David Kirby, St. Petersburg Times"Přečíst více...